North not backing down ahead of South-U.S. joint military exercises

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North not backing down ahead of South-U.S. joint military exercises

Published: 26 Feb. 2023, 17:07

A Los Angeles-class nuclear power submarine enters the naval port in Busan. [US NAVY 7TH FLEET]

Tensions with North Korea are rising as South Korea and the United States gear up for a 10-day joint military exercise scheduled to kick off on March 13.

North Korea continued its verbal assault on the joint military exercise over the weekend, especially as the nuclear power submarine USS Springfield arrived at the Busan Naval Base.

On Sunday, the Arirang Meari, one of the regime's mouthpieces, claimed that the joint military exercises are “dangerous” provocations made with the goal of preparing for an invasion.

“The U.S.-South Korea joint military exercise ‘Freedom Shield,’ which has further intensified its training, clearly shows its intension,” the North Korean media reported.

North Korea claimed that the recent exercises are not only larger in size but also in intensity, compared to past trainings such as Key Resolve and Foal Eagle.

“Landing indicates attack,” the North Korean media continued. “A massive landing exercise proves that it is training with a clear goal of invasion and pre-emptive attack.”

The mouthpiece also added that the latest training is a more aggressive military strategy: Operations Plan 5015, which includes infiltration, Pyongyang occupation and pre-emptive nuclear strikes.

Tongil Voice, a North Korean radio broadcaster, in its own statement on Sunday claimed that the joint exercises are nothing but bluff and bravado.

“[The military exercises] are the agonizing struggles of those who are appalled by our military might,” Tongil Voice claimed.

The North Korean media claimed that the very thought of the countries standing against its "invincible" military makes even a “boiled beef head” laugh.

North Korea's verbal attacks come one day after the U.S. Navy’s Seventh Fleet posted pictures of the 6,000-ton Los Angeles-class submarine arriving in Busan. The submarine was said to be carrying dozens of Tomahawk cruise missiles with a range of 1,700 nautical miles (1,956 miles).

So far this year, North Korea has made four missile provocations, starting with the launch of an short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) on Jan. 1. The latest were four “strategic cruise missiles” that North Korea claimed to have fired on Friday.

The South Korean military, however, did not confirm the latest cruise missiles.

The Joint Chief of Staff in a statement said it is currently analyzing all possibilities, including that the claims by North Korea on the cruise missiles may be false.

In November, North Korea claimed it had fired two cruise missiles toward Ulsan Island during the South Korea-U.S. joint exercise Vigilant Storm, which the South Korean JCS concluded was false.

The South's Unification Ministry on Friday claimed that firing just three missiles — one ICBM and two short-range ballistic missiles — would have required enough money to provide roughly 100,000 tons of food to its people.

That is the same as five months of food for some 2 to 3 million people.

Last week, the South Korean military intelligence told lawmakers that North Korea is likely to conduct a seventh nuclear test in order to make the warheads smaller and lighter for tactical nuclear arsenals.

The Korean military, when reporting to the members on the National Assembly’s Intelligence Committee on Feb. 22, said that while it is not certain when the test will be made, it is likely to be made in Pyunggye-ri.

Also the South Korean military intelligence believes North Korea will try to launch a reconnaissance satellite in April.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un with daughter Kim Ju-ae during a construction project groundbreaking ceremony held in Pyongyang on Saturday. [KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY]

Meanwhile, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his daughter Kim Ju-ae attended a groundbreaking ceremony on Saturday for a construction project in Pyongyang, according to the state-owned media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Sunday.

This was the seventh public appearance of Kim's daughter since her public debut in November, and the second of her non-military appearances.

The construction projects include building 4,100 housing units in northern Pyongyang. This is a separate project from the 10,000 housing units that are being built in another area in Pyongyang.

Kim Ju-ae's public appearances with her father have become more frequent, including one where she took center stage during the military parade held earlier this month.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]